Filling mechanism for fountain pens



Sept; 1, 1931 V K, s. PARKER FILLING MECHANISM FOR FOUNTAIN PENS Filed Feb. 9, 1929 Patented s fit. 1, 1931 i UNITED STATES KENNETH S. PARKER, 01 JANESVILLE, WTSCONSIN', ASSIGNOB TO THE PARKER PEN PATENT oFF ci:

COMPANY, OF J'ANESVILLE, WISCONSIN A CORPORATION O1 WISCONSIN rrtnme mncmmsm roe. rorm'ram rnn's Application filed February 9, 1929. sei'lal'lio. 388,897.

My invention relates generally to fountain plelns and has todo moreparticularly with ing mechanism for so-called sacless pens wherein the pen'barrel may provide the ink reservoir.

One of the objects of m invention is to provide an improved quic fill-mechanism for a pen of the foregoing general character which is simple and inexpensive and which may be readily and easily operated by one hand to accomplish filling of the pen.

, Another object is to provide a filling mechanism which includes a spring-operated piston device for operating an air-displacement device located within the ink reservoir, the piston device having a part accesslble for filling operations.

Additional objects are to rovide an airdis laceinent device inthe orm of a bulb,

or t e like, which is expanded and contracted by and as the piston device is reciprocated to alternatel expel air from the reservoir and draw ink thereinto; and to provide an arrangement wherein a V6181 few strokes of the-piston device results in lling of the pen.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this description. progresses and by reference to the drawings wherein,--'

.. Figure 1 is a vertical sectlonal view of one form of pen embodyin my invention, and showing the filling mec anism in a normal non-fillmg condition withthe displacement bulb collapsed; 4

Figi2 is a sectional view of the upper part as of the pen showing the displacement bulb e ended; and

g. 3 is a horizontal section taken -substantiall online 33 of Fig. 1.

T e form of pen which Ihave chosento illustrate my invention comprises a barrel 10 providin an ink reservoir. 11. The lower end of t e barrel is threaded to receive a: pen-section nozzle 12 whlch supports afeed ar 13 having the usual feed c annel 1; be-

neath the pen point 1 5. This feed baris provided with an L-shaped passage 16, one end of which 0 us into the reservoir 11, and the other en connects with the feed channel 14 intermediate the ends of the latter. A tube '17 is mounted in the feed bar passage 16, and

this tube extendstoward and near the rear. end of the pen. The upper or inner end of the reservoir 11 is formed by a partition piece 18 which will be referred to more particularly hereinafter. Filling of the reser voir 11 is accomplished by displacement of the air therein followed by the drawing in of ink through the feed channel 14 and tube 17. More particularly, due to the relative cross-sectional areas of the passage in the tube 17 and the feed channel 14, and the relative fluidity of'the air and ink, air will be forced out through the tube 17, together, probably, with a relatively small amount of ink, if there is any ink in the barrel, when an air-displacement action takes place within the ink reservoir. Of course, as will be well understood, when the ink reservoir is restored to its normal condition, ink will be drawn into the reservoir through the feed 7 channel 14 and tube 17. V

My invention has to do, particularly, with means for successively efiecting the foregoing displacement action in the ink reservoir.

More specifically, I employ within the ink 75' reservoir, and at one side of the tube 17, a normally collapsed bulb 19 formed, preferably, of a desirable flexible material, such as rubber, and which is so formed as to normally retain its collapsed condition. Dis lacement of the air in the reservoir throng the tube, 17 is'accom lished by expanding the bulb 19, and, to e ect a relatively great dis placement the bulb normally ta es a semicircular shape extending a substantial dis-' tancearound the reservoir wall. It is to be understood, hewever,th at I do not desire to be limited to the particular size and dimensions of the bulb shown because the samefmay be varied without departing from ,my invention.

The bulb is supported suspended tion within the reservoir by means 0 the. partition piece 18. As shown in the drawv ings, this artition piece formed integrally 96, with the". arrel wall, but not necessaril sinceit is obvious that thev ieoe 18 may a separate disc-like part fixe in position within the barrelin any desired manner. This piece is provided near its edge, at one side of The nipple 18 is provided with an opening v 20 which extends through the piece 18 into the piston chamber 21 above such piece.

Successive expanding and contracting of the bulb 19 are accomplished by means of a piston 22 slidably mounted in the chamber 21. This piston has a stem 23 passing axiallly out through an opening in the rear, reduce shoulder portion 24 of thepen. Thispiston is normally held in its outward, or bulbcollapsed position by means of a spring 25. This spring 25 yieldingly opposes the inward movement of the piston 22 and acts to return the piston to its position of Fig. 1 when pressure is released from the piston stem 23.

The outer end of the piston stem is provided with a rounded head 26 which-may be readily and comfortably engaged by ones finger for inward movement of the piston 22. When the piston 22 is so moved inwardly,

compressing the air in the chamber 21 ahead of it, the bulb 19 is expanded (Fig. 2) thereby displacing air in the ink reservoir as a ove described. When the pressure of the finger is released from the piston, the spring 25 returns the latter to its non-depressed position thereby withdrawing air from the bulb 19 and collapsing the same. Since the bulb 19 is formed to normally assume a collapsed condition, the foregoing colla sing action will be aided by the inherent ability of the bulb to return to'thatcondition, independently of the piston 22. The piston 22, however, ppsitively insures this collapsing action ma 'ng it quite rapid, so that upona It: flaw stro es of the piston, the pen will The reduced shoulder portion 24 at the rear end of the pen is externall threaded to,receive an end-closure cap 2 which rotects .the piston stem 23 against accidenta movement which mi ht otherwise result in the ejection of some ink from the feed end of the .pen.

While I have shown and described only one form of my invention, it will be understood that other changes in details and arrangements of parts ma be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the claims wh follow.

Iclaim: a

1. In a fountain pen having a barrel, within which is an ink reservoir and a piston chamber both of which are of constant size and dimension, a normally collapsed bulb de- -vice mounted in said reservoir and exansible to displace air in the reservoir an subsequent collapsible to draw ink into the reservoir, t e interior of said bulb communicating with said piston chamber, a piston reciproible bulb suspended from said cably mounted in said chamber for expanding and collapsing said bulb, and spring means opposing movement of said iston in one direction and acting to move t e piston in the other direction when pressure is released .from the piston for efiecting positive predetermined expansion and collapsing movements of said bulb.

2. Ina fountain pen having a barrel with an ink reservoir and a separated piston chamber, a normally collapsed bulb device mounted in said reservoir and expansible to displace air in the reservoir and subsequently collapsible to draw inkinto the reservoir, a piston slidably mounted in said chamber out of contact with ink in said reservoir and with the interior of said bulb through said opening, a piston device reciprocably mounted in said chamber for effecting expansion and contraction of said bulb, 'a spring acting on said piston rendering it self-movable away from its bulb-expanding position, and a part on said piston accessible exteriorl of said barrel for effecting reciprocation 0 said piston.

'4. In a fountain n, a, barrel, a partition in said barrel divid ng the latterinto an ink reservoir and a piston chamber and mechanism including a normally collapse bulb located in said'reservoir, a piston mounted for reciprocation in said chamber, said partition havin an opening communicating onl said cham r with the interior of said bul a spring acting on said piston to oppose movement of the latter in one direction and to move the piston in the opposite direc-' tion, .and an element accessible extenorlyof said barrel for moving said piston in said one direction against said spring, whereby said bulb maybe expanded and collapsed in rapid succession with uniformity in extent of collap'sing and expanding.

5. In a-fountam pen, the combination of a barrel, a partition forming an ink reservoir in said barrel and a separate chamber, ink

feed means carried by said barrel-at one end of said reservoir, a tubular member leading from said reservoir to said feed means, a flexsaid reservoir and being expansi leand collapsible to expel air from and draw inkinto said reservoir through said tube, said partition having an openmg comm'umcating only artition in said chamber with the interior of said bulb,

and a spring-actuated piston device in said chamber reclprocable therein to expand and contract said bulb in rapid succession independently of inherent flexibility of said bulb.

' In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name. I

KENNETH S. PARKER. 

